Rights and Rituals
by FosEmerald
Summary: 29 years after its release, a girl finds an ad for a game called Brainscan that guarantees a once in a lifetime experience for the player. Melissa can't help but be interested and decides to call up 1-800-555-FEAR, not knowing what true horrors awaited for her on the other side and a mysterious entity who goes by the name Trickster.
1. Chapter 1

_Somehow I always get the most inspiration from movies that have fallen into complete obscurity..._

_So there are NO fanfics for this movie because let's be real, it is **not** a very good movie._

_But I love it nonetheless, and I love T Rider Smith's Trickster. So the writing muses seemed to bestow to me writing ambrosia, so here's what I wrote._

_Thank you so much for somehow finding this fanfiction, let alone reading it, and please like and review if you, well, liked it!_

_\- CallieCrossroads_

* * *

"Brainscan…The ultimate experience in interactive horror. Run amok, a game that feels more real than reality, yadda yadda yadda." I picked up my phone and dialed the number listed on the bottom of the vintage advert,

"1-800-555-FEAR. Isn't _that_ original." I scoffed.

This number was from a 1990's Fangoria magazine, and it was now 2019. There was no way in hell anyone would answer-

"Hello, you've reached Brainscan."

*Click*

I quickly hung up the phone, not knowing what else to do. Sitting on my bed, I stared at the phone for a few seconds and then finally called the number back.

"Phone troubles, miss?" My face warmed up in embarrassment,

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that…" I replied, but I stopped and thought for a second,

"Hey…how did you know I was a girl?" The line was silent and I thought the call was cut off again,

"No need to worry about that. Tell me, what is your name and how can I assist you tonight?"

"My name is Melissa, and honestly I didn't think anyone would answer. This number is really old and I figured it would be dead by now."

The man softly laughed,

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Melissa. I can assure you, we are very much alive."

I wanted to say "well, obviously." but I had better manners than that.

"I take it you would like to hear more about Brainscan?"

"Yeah! What does it mean in the ad when it says 'More real than reality'? No offense, but the games that came out in the '90s weren't exactly the most advanced programs in the world."

"I suppose so, but Brainscan is more than just a game, you see. By using advanced psychological algorithms and manipulation of brainwaves, we can create a unique experience for the player, letting them roam free in a world of their deepest fears and darkest desires."

A chill ran down my spine and I had the feeling of both hesitation and devious curiosity,

"That sounds amazing, I wonder why this isn't more talked about. I even looked it up online and I still couldn't find anything."

"Well, we like to keep a low-profile. Dedicate our time to true and honest fans." He said.

"So if I wanted to play a customized game, would I have to take some sort of quiz or something-"

A burst of electricity shot through my body, causing me to drop the phone and collapsed onto my bed in a fit of spasms.

As soon as the fit started, it was gone.

"It is decided, you will be playing _'Rights and Rituals_. Your first installment should arrive at your home in 1 to 3 days. Remember to keep an open mind, Melissa, and please…enjoy the fear."

With that, the man hung up and I was left alone lying on my bed, wondering what the hell just happened.

'_'Rights and rituals?' I wonder how they determined that to be the best fit for me?'_

'_What was with the seizure?' _

'_How could they have done that over the phone?'_

Those and a few other questions floated through my head as I carried on at work the next day. I didn't catch the name of the man or even the company that developed the game.

He sounded normal enough...He had a nice voice but nothing stood out. There was somewhat of a dark undertone to what he was saying as if he knew something he did not want me to know.

Regardless of the little red flags, I was looking forward to seeing what Brainscan was like.

It was most likely just going to be a PC game with blocky graphics and clunky controls, but the way he talked about it made it sound like _so much_ more. Who knows, maybe they were working on improving it since its release all those years ago. That's kind of similar to what they did for the old PC puzzle game _Myst_.

Work went normally and as soon as I knew it, I was driving home.

I checked my mail, only half paying attention since it was usually mostly bills and fast food coupons. But something heavier and stiffer stood out from the usual paper envelopes.

Tossing aside the rest of the mail I felt myself breaking out in a cold sweat.

There in my hands was a white envelope with my _full name _and address, and instead of a return address, there were just the words "Brainscan" stamped in black ink down the side of the envelope.

"H-how in the _fuck _did they know my info?!" I never gave my full name, let alone my _home address_. Someone was seriously screwing with me now.

I've heard about things like this happening to girls who lived alone, where they get a mysterious package and it's somehow a signal to the sender that they can go break into their house and kidnap them.

It was now 9 pm and I made sure the door was locked and the windows were closed tight with the blinds down. Sitting at my laptop in the middle of my living room I had a large pocket knife next to me, just to feel safer.

Opening the package with the knife, the contents were just a single cd in a jewel case, no note or anything hinting to who it came from.

I took the cd and inserted it into my laptop, extremely hesitant at first because the last thing I needed was a virus on my computer. I got passed this fear after I checked my protection software.

The program started running as soon as I closed the CD drive, I didn't even have to select anything.

The title screen was as edgy and 90's as I expected.

'BRAINSCAN' was in red and black lettering that almost looked like Microsoft word art, and in the middle of the screen was a character with glowing eyes and hair that looked like he had electrocuted himself.

Either electrocution or he was a member of some 90's hairband.

I was already so immersed in the game that when my phone rang, I nearly fell off the couch in shock.

It took me a second to recover, but I answered the phone, wondering who would call me.

"Don't hang up this time, Melissa." I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a shiver ran through my body.

"H...How…How the hell did you.."

"You asked for this, and we delivered. Literally _and_ figuratively. Rest assured, we promise we won't come to take you away or murder you in your sleep."

Was that supposed to make me feel better?

I tried to click around the screen but nothing would happen, there wasn't even a cursor visible,

"Okay then, how do I start playing?"

"You are about to experience 'Mind Program Entry'. As I mentioned before, it is a practice similar to hypnosis that utilizes the waves and currents emanating from your computer to immerse you in a hyper-realistic experience."

"But-"

He quickly interrupted me,

"You will not be in any actual danger, my dear." listened on but considered just shutting my computer.

"You will be playing 'Rituals of Sin'. You shall partake in a coven's dark and devious rituals honoring four of the Seven Deadly Sins, one each night. Which one it is, though, will be a mystery until you are there and your participation will be key to the ritual's success."

"That doesn't sound so bad. I'm guessing I'll just need to collect ingredients for the 'ritual' or help summon the devil?" I scoffed.

"Take this seriously, Melissa! You must complete the ceremonies in less than 3 hours. If you fail to finish any of the four disks, you won't be allowed to continue, and that could become extremely troublesome for you."

"Okay then, let's jump right in." My fear began to wane and it was being replaced with excitement.

The man laughed,

"I admire your enthusiasm. Whenever you are ready, press 'Start' to begin. Do not forget the objective, and remember...enjoy the fear."

The line cut off and I was left alone in my living room with the game. I took a deep breath and a sip of water before pressing start.

The eyes of the character on the screen started glowing brighter and pulsating, and I felt unable to avert my eyes.

In a flash of white, everything around me began to fade to black.


	2. Chapter 2

The world came back into focus around me and I found myself transported to a cobblestone courtyard of an enormous Tudor-style mansion, which towered above me like a colossus.

It was night and the air was brisk, a full moon loomed overhead creating a beautiful yet ominous silhouette of the dwelling.

"Up the stairs, the ceremony has almost begun."

I heard the man from the phone speak to me and it sounded like he was right next to me whispering in my ear.

I followed his command and climbed up the stairs to a heavy wooden door. I struck the knocker against it twice and almost immediately someone opened it.

It was a woman who looked to be in her 30's, or at least 5 years older than my 24 years. She wore a dark velvet robe with the hood pulled over her head, so that all I could see of her face was a small smile.

"Welcome, honored guest. My name is Vidalia and I am the High Priestess of this coven. Please, come in," She handed me an identical robe to hers, except for the belt which was a simple silver buckle instead of her more opulent golden one.

"You may change in the next room over, and we ask you not to wear anything underneath except your undergarments."

I found myself nodding to everything she was saying and followed without question.

Walking to the room specified, I removed my clothing and donned the ceremonial robe, which was incredibly soft but had some weight to it.

When I emerged, High Priestess Vidalia nodded in approval and led me to what I suspected was the great hall or some sort of gathering room.

From the ceiling hung a grand chandelier decorated with hundreds of candles that illuminated the room and cast shadows onto the ornate crown molding.

A long and dark table in the center stretched nearly the length of the room. The entirety of the table was decorated with decadent food and drink, and my mouth watered at the delicious aroma.

I think I knew which deadly sin this ritual was for.

At least two dozen others gathered around the table all dressed in identical robes. They ranged from men in their late 60's to women who appeared to be as young as 18. They all spoke amongst themselves in hushed tones, but no one appeared to be a stranger to such a congregation.

In the corner of the room, though, stood a man who seemed quite out of place. He had a large mane of fiery hair and wore an oxblood red jacket with a white collared shirt underneath and black leather pants. He was also wearing fingerless riding gloves and boots with silver chains.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his yellow eyes never left me.

As I was about to ask Vidalia about the man, she led me to the front of the room and all eyes turned to me. A lump grew in my stomach and made my previous appetite seem less than tempting.

I was never a fan of crowds, so being here in front of all these people wasn't the greatest of feelings...

Vidalia stretched her arms out and began to address the coven.

"Good evening! Brothers and Sisters! It is an honor for me to stand before so many blessed men and women to initiate the beginning of such a monumental occasion!" Her enthusiastic energy was contagious and the crowd began to clap once she was finished. Even I clapped a little, but mostly in an effort to blend in.

"Tonight, we shall honor the Sin of Gluttony. Drink, feast and be merry! For what sort of god would present such treasures to his children, only to bar them off, unless they wish to be condemned to the pits of Hell!" Laughter followed.

"But Brothers and Sisters, before we revel in this feast, we must prepare the main course." Vidalia placed her hands gently on my shoulders, and I feared the worst,

"My dear coven, may I introduce to you Sister Melissa. As you all are aware, an outsider is an integral aspect of the ritual. A young and beautiful virgin to welcome the sin to our home."

Dear god...Were they going to eat me?!

"Our honored guest shall assist in preparing the main course, as is the tradition as well as a high honor." I let out a breath I was holding-thankfully I wasn't on the menu after all.

A man in a butcher's apron wheeled in a cart with a sheet covering it. Vidalia walked to the cart, grabbing a handful of the cloth, and pulling it off with a flourish.

What I saw next made my blood run cold. I had to cover my mouth to stifle a gasp.

At the end of the meat hook, instead of a carcass of a cow or a lamb like you would expect, was instead,

A living human.

Bound by ropes that cut into her bare skin and made her bleed, and hanging upside down by her feet. Her face was covered with bruises and streaked makeup from her sobbing. Luckily she was gagged and couldn't make any considerable noises.

"Our main feast, Sister Melissa, is the most forbidden of delicacies-The flesh of man, or in this case, a lovely young woman." Vidalia said with fervor.

The nervous lump moved from my stomach into my throat as the butcher walked over to me and placed a large chefs knife in my hand.

"Do you know anything about proper butchering practices?" He asked.

Surprisingly, I actually did know about butchering. I was on a meat-grading team back in high school, as dorky as that sounds. I knew all the steps of proper meat processing.

I nod to him and he smiles wide,

"Then I am guessing you know the first steps of preparing a carcass for consumption?" I nodded once more,

"Stunning the animal, then...then..bleeding it." My voice was soft, nothing more than a shaky whisper, and I couldn't take my eyes off of the poor woman.

The butcher laughed sadistically,

"We've taken care of stunning it, how about we move on to the bloodletting." I was more terrified than I've been in my life and tears welled up in my eyes.

Looking back to Vidalia, I silently begged her to spare me from having to perform such a deed, but it seemingly went unnoticed because the smile never left her face,

"It is an immense honor to be where you're standing. End the poor creature's life so that we may begin our celebration!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

"Do it. Do it now!" The voice from before had returned, somehow speaking to me over the noise,

"Have you forgotten your objective? You must do this." He hissed at me, and it made me wince.

The voice ran on repeat in my head getting louder and louder until I felt like I was losing my mind and I couldn't take it anymore.

Sucking in a deep breath and shutting my eyes tight, I violently buried the knife in the woman's throat, crying as I heard her muffled screams and the gurgles that followed when I retracted the blade.

High Priestess Vidalia clapped her hands and cheered before raising a chalice high in the air,

"To the first blood spilled!"

The aforementioned blood now covered my hands and as the knife hit the stone floor more of it splattered over the front of my robe. I tried to wipe my tears away but that just caused more blood to be smeared on my cheeks.

"Eat and be merry! Indulge and feel no guilt, for we are all free to bask in our own personal Sodom!"

The entire coven began to dig into the food and drink spread all across the table. There was laughter and merriment surrounding me, as well as the most delicious dishes that have graced my senses, but all of that had now gone sour and I found myself sprinting out of the great hall.

When I felt I was a good way from the coven and Vidalia I collapsed against a wall and curled up, sobbing into my knees. This was a game. It was only a game! Yet I felt traumatized just the same.

"Enjoying yourself?" The man's voice echoed in my head,

I looked up and saw the figure with the fiery hair standing in front of me, appearing out of nowhere, or perhaps I just didn't notice him.

My fear and grief melted into anger and I stood up, pushing him away from me as forcefully as I could manage. As a girl with a height of 5'3" and not much strength to speak of, this only pushed him back an inch or two.

"Where am I, who are they, who are you! You better tell me what's going on and how the game is this realistic, or else I'm going to-"

The man quickly closed the space between us, forcing me against the wall, one hand gripping my arm and the other wrapped around my neck.

"Or what? What do you think you could possibly do in a situation like this?" He mocked. The fact that his fingernails were as long as small pocket knives shut me up pretty damn quick.

"I'm surprised that you have any questions at all, you are the one who asked for this." He didn't necessarily come off as angry, just really annoyed,

"The first kill and you already hesitated!"

"Well I'm sorry I hesitated to kill for the first time in my life," I tried to feign sarcasm, but it was just a defense mechanism to hide my fear,

"Honest to god, I forgot I was in the game until you said something. I thought this was all real!"

The man scowled,

"Real-not real-what is the difference," He grazed his fingernails down my throat and collar bone, and it caused me to shiver and take a shaky breath,

"It's all about the feeling, the emotion, the rush."

I remained silent and paid attention to anything other than him. That was short-lived as he tilted my chin up and forced me to look into his eyes,

"Didn't it feel good," He said in a hushed, sly tone,

"It's almost the same fear a moth feels as it draws closer to the flame, a bright flash of emotion making you blind to the danger...or perhaps it does know the danger, and deep in its heart wants it. Which one do you think you are, my little moth?"

His lips brushed my ear and a dark chuckle rose from his throat.

"Who the hell are you?" I whimpered,

He took a step back, releasing my throat but not my arm.

Grasping my hand in his, he pressed his lips against the back of it, as if he were something even resembling a gentleman.

"Where are my manners? My name is Trickster." He said with eloquence.

His mood seemed to take a 180, but still retained an air of mischief, which I supposed would be appropriate now that I knew his...name.

"The Trickster?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, just Trickster, there is no 'the'." He replied in a clipped tone.

It finally clicked.

"You're the guy from the phone, aren't you?" I asked slowly.

Trickster raised an eyebrow and smirked,

"Did it really take you that long to figure that out?" His condescending tone made my face reddened.

I sneered, refusing to make eye contact,

"Well it's not like that was on the top of my figure-it-out list you know." Noticing that my hand was still in his grasp, I pulled away quickly and crossed my arms,

"So, what, is this like some sort of multiplayer vr game?" My adrenaline had seceded and, in hindsight, my anger and sharp tongue earlier seemed kind of silly for this situation,

"Also, sorry for kinda losing it after killing that chick, it probably looked pretty dumb considering this is just a game. I guess it's just so damn realistic, my brain thought it was actually happening." I ran a hand through my hair and let out an exasperated sigh,

"I think I'm over my head with this. I didn't know what to expect, I'll admit that, but this is beyond what I could have ever imagined.

"Don't worry, you'll find a way to make it up to me in due time." He laughed, and there was a look in his eyes that made a chill run down my spine,

"It's too late to stop now, you must complete the other three disks or there will be negative repercussions. On the matter of your current situation, we can discuss it further once you've finished the disk and returned to your living room."

"Well, when is it going to be done? I did the ritual I think." I hoped so, at least.

"Yes, you did your part...after that considerable amount of coercion. You have an hour and 25 minutes left on the timer, wouldn't you like to explore this world a bit more? Perhaps sample the gourmet cuisine?"

I grimaced and shook my head,

"No, I think I'm done."

Trickster's smile slowly faded, and disappointment akin to a parent to a child's bad decision replaced it. His voice was also void of humor,

"Very well then, congratulations on completing the first ritual."


End file.
